More 358009 in 35 Whelen

[stocker]

Sundogs load suggestion of 40/IMR 4895 worked well at the range today with the slightly tin enhanced boolits I cast last week. Accuracy between the as cast boolits and the oven hardened was near identical with several groups from both running from 3/4 -1 1/4 @ 100. Very windy at the range and shot to shot dispersion was horizontal and reflected the conditions. Did not chronograph these loads but believe Sundog indicated 1900 and recoil was indicative of that general area. Not punishing but felt near as substantial as a 250 J-bullet at 2500

This load seems adequate for any game I care to hunt here. Should be quite enough for moose or elk although that will have to wait for next year now. Only deer will be sought this year.

Going to start working with IMR 4831 with a PSB filler to see what that combination produces.

Bass, I seem to have the rifle feeding reliably finally. Now I can enjoy the results the boolits and rifle are producing. It's a pleasure to work up loads with and does not seem to have many cranky quirks as regards powder, case or primer preferences etc.. If only my 348 Win would be as receptive with cast.

[Bass Ackward]

Bass, I seem to have the rifle feeding reliably finally. Now I can enjoy the results the boolits and rifle are producing. It's a pleasure to work up loads with and does not seem to have many cranky quirks as regards powder, case or primer preferences etc.. If only my 348 Win would be as receptive with cast.


Stocker,

That is great. Now that you have the 358009, I doubt you need another mold. So you have killed two birds with one chunk of lead.

I don't have any experience with other 35s, but the Whelens that I have been associated with are all the same way. I have given many people my loads and they come within a couple of grains either way to work in their outfit. They are not finicky at all as long as you stay within the realm of stabilization.

I would have to have exact measurements to be perfect, but Quickload says that that is about 27,500 psi with the 4895. Pressure peaks in 1.4 inches of bullet travel. 51 grains of 4831 produces about the same pressure level and pressure peeks in 1.7 inches of bullet travel. What do you gain? 50 fps. But because it takes longer to peak, you should be able to get the same bullet to withstand slightly higher pressures because it has over come more inertia. With a 24" barrel you should be able to produce close to 2100 fps. What powder offers the maximum bullet travel before peaking? RL15 / 4320 at 1.9". So theoretically, you can get the highest velocities with the same hardness bullet with these powders. Looks like between 44 and 46 1/2 grains.

[stocker]

Bass Ackwards:

My thoughts on the mould exactly. Without ordering a full house custom mould it would be hard to improve on this one. Can't see the need.

I appreciate the Quick Load info. I wouldn't mind trying to gain a bit of velocity provided the accuracy holds up and slower burning powders seem to be a way to gain a bit. The travel/peaking distance for Re15 and 4320 look promising and I'm surprised they exceed a slower powder. Happen to have quite a bit of both on hand as they are choice powders for jacketed in the Whelen.

We'll see over the next few months. Plan to take the existing loads hunting for now.

Best
Dennis

[Shuz]

FWIW--For many years now I've been shooting and hunting with my 35 Whelen and the Lyman 358009. My twist rate is 1:12. The load that has worked for me has been 48g of AA4064, CCI 200 primer, and either -06 cases necked up, or factory .35 Whelen cases. Velocity is 2150fps and accuracy is between 1 an 1-1/2 inches at 100 yds. Boolits are a little hard at 22 Bhn for hunting, but I ain't lost nuthin yet, and kilt two bull meese and one bull elk.--Shuz

[felix]

Good load, Shuz! That 22 BHN and 12 twist go together nicely, don't they? What is the number of lands and the land height of that barrel? ... felix

[stocker]

Felix: Shuz' load does sound interesting and I'm making notes. There is surprisingly little published data for this boolit and lacking Quick Load every bit helps along with a lot of guess work around burn rates etc..

[felix]

Stocker, remember that Sundog has a 14 twist barrel. He therefore can get away with the same accuracy and velocity with a softer boolit. But, Shuz says a softer boolit is not necessary! I personally cannot say anything about hardness requirements for hunting; no experience at all. I like to shoot nails in the 22s for immediate blowup upon contact. Can't afford to have any buzzing sounds at the river location; too many bike and fishermen around there. Any sound at all and they think the missle went right over their head barely missing them. This is because of the frequency of the sound waves produced by glancing boolits. Non-directional. ... felix

[stocker]

Felix:
My rifle is also a 1/14 albeit a 5 groove barrel. The barrel maker lives in northern B.C. and learned the business from Ackley who also had a thing for odd numbers of lands and grooves. About as inexpensive as we can find here and good enough that I'll be using more of them. Button rifled and very smooth with little or no jacket or lead fouling. I'm considering getting my 71 rebarreled to 35/348 Imp. as this particular rifle is not very consistent and is extremely finicky about everything. May drop the rifle off to him in Novemebr for the conversion. Will of course retain the original barrel in the event I ever sell the rifle.

[Shuz]

Felix--the bbl is a Douglass and there are 6 lands. I can't accurately measure the depth of the lands with the tools I've got. I size the boolits to .359 and that seems to work well.--Shuz